The car drives into the house for the second time, Olda takes action with a petition

The end is full for Olda Bode-Nuis after another car drove into her and her husband Aad’s house in Breda. In just over a week they collected about 120 signatures. Together with the neighbors, they hope that the municipality will do something about the traffic situation. On Wednesday afternoon they presented the signatures to the alderman.

Several banners hang at the busy intersection of Haagweg and Tuinzigtlaan in Breda on Wednesday afternoon. ‘The size is full’ and ‘BOOM=HO’ can be read on it. Behind the curtains is the wooden boarded house of Olda and Aad. Last month, a car drove into their home for the second time in a few years. Reason for the neighborhood to take action.

In two evenings, Olda and Aad went door to door with a petition. In total they collected signatures from 120 households. “That shows that it is not an individual problem, but a structural issue that requires administrative responsibility and decisiveness,” says Olda in her speech in front of her damaged house, where councilor Arnoud van Vliet was also present.

Neighbors also attended the presentation of the petition and held up signs to make it clear that they are concerned about the traffic situation. “You come around the corner on a fifty-kilometer road and you don’t see the zebra crossing. There is a sign that draws drivers’ attention to the zebra crossing, but you hardly see it. You can’t see through the bend. It is the horn intersection of Breda,” says Martijn Burghoorn.

“There seems to be an agreement not to stop at the zebra crossing. Very special,” says Kelly van Steenis-Keizer, who also lives in the area.

View images of the devastation here:

During her speech, Olda appealed to the councilor. “Our safety and the safety of local residents are no longer guaranteed and safety and a good, liveable living environment are essential municipal core tasks. We count on clear steps. A concrete time plan. Good information and measures that really make a difference.”

The councilor was pleased with the petition, which, according to him, shows that people feel involved in road safety. He also said that the intersection will be tackled this year and that the speed will be reduced to 30 kilometers per hour.

“We are looking at whether we can apply a plateau or reduce the speed, so that it is actually reflected in the behavior of road users,” the councilor explains. “He then drives here and thinks: my foot needs to be taken off the accelerator here. These are adjustments that we are thinking about.” According to him, the intersection was already high on the list for modification.

However, some local residents still have some doubts about the municipality’s plans. “I don’t have a lot of confidence in it. It’s really the construction of the intersection that needs to be addressed, not a beautification of an intersection that goes to 30 kilometers per hour. That’s not going to make a difference,” says Kelly.

“I would turn the Haagweg into a one-way road and ensure that you have a much clearer intersection. You now have a free passage through which you drive at the same speed from all sides. I don’t think that suits the neighborhood,” she says.

After the conversation with the councilor, Olda has confidence in the future. She now mainly wants to recover from everything that has happened to her. Part of the power supply has now been restored and she is looking ahead.

“An incident like this always has something positive. We have noticed that we have so many wonderful neighbors who are there for us. The banner, for example, was made with so much love. It just works out,” says Olda.